The Album
by Jacque Nicole
Summary: First in a series. Dick Grayson reflects on his life on Christmas Eve. A fluffy, W.A.F.Fy, romantic, angsty oneshot.


AN: I'm back:D Anyways, this one-shot was written as an entry for the Holiday fic contest at the Teen Titans Forum here: http/ xsorbit29. com/ users5/ teentitansforum/ index.php (Just remove the spaces when you copy and paste the URL.) I'm sorry to say that the only holiday-ish thing in this fic is the fact that it takes place during Xmas. :( Oh well...

Warnings: The "A" word is mention in the second sentence.

_Disclaimer: I have and never will claim to own the Teen Titans._ _Teen Titans and all its elements and characters is property of DC Comics (c), Cartoon Network (r), and other intermediate companies._

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_**The Album**_

**By Jacque Nicole

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It was already Christmas Eve. Time flies so fast when you're kicking bad guy ass. If only memories could be forgotten as quickly as last year. If only they could be left where they belong – in the past.

Richard Grayson reclined back on his bed, clutching a photo album to his chest. It was almost as if he was afraid to open it, but he knew he had to. He couldn't – _wouldn't – _keep running away from his past.

The book was dusty, old, and worn from years of storage. Dick handled it delicately as he pulled it away from his chest to read the golden words embroidered on the cover.

_Grayson Family Album_

Dick felt like his heart was crumbling in his chest. '_Oh, God...'_ he thought to himself. '_It's been so long...'_

He did know how much time had past as he sat there, just looking at the cover. It took him a while, but he finally managed to muster the strength to open the years old book to the first page.

Baby pictures. Everywhere. He could not remember the last time he looked at them. There were some with him alone, some with his in the arms of his beloved parents – Dick blinked back tears after seeing those – and even some with people he could not recognize. He smiled fondly at them before turning the page.

The next page was full of pictures of his early childhood. A dysfunctional little boy with black hair tried to master skills such as potty training and riding his bike on one side, and on the other, that same little boy was trying on his performance tights and walking on a tightrope for the first time.

Dick never really showed it much, but he missed be able to not have any care in life as a child. Hell, he wasn't even able to live out his childhood to the fullest when he had it. To everyone on the outside, Richard Grayson was a strong willed, powerful, invincible man... Well, _almost _everyone...

He turned the page.

Newspaper clippings littered the space so thoroughly that one could hardly make out the white background of the album.

'_The Flying Grayson Introduce Son, Richard, To Act...'_

'_The Flying Graysons Do It Again...'_

'_The Flying Graysons – Human or _Super_Human?'_

Lost in his thoughts, Dick turned the page once more. There was only one newspaper article on this page. It was the last one ever put in the album.

'_The Flying Graysons, Brutally Murdered...'_

Richard slammed the book shut, causing a cloud of dust to fly out from between the pages. Immediately, he erupted into a fit of coughs.

Something began shifting on the other side of the bed. Immediately, Dick shoved the album under his pillow.

"Richard?" a tired female voice whispered. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," he replied even as he coughed more. "Go back to sleep, honey."

The woman sat up and gave her lover a kiss on the cheek. He lips lingered there, and she was silent, as if she was considering something. "Why are you crying?" she asked, kissing away the tear on his other cheek.

Dick gave a small chuckle. "I was never able to hid anything from you."

The woman noticed that he had not answered her question, but decided not to pressure him. She twisted her head slightly to look at the clock on the dresser behind her. Even in the dark, Dick could see her face light up. "It is Christmas!" she exclaimed, sliding to the edge of the bed.

Richard looked at the clock himself.

_12:48 _

He sighed. "Barely."

"Oh, I wish to give you your gift now!" replied to woman, slipping on her slippers.

Richard shook his head. "No, honey. Just come back to bed," the hero pleaded. "I don't think you should – "

"Do not worry about me," she said, kneeling to the floor to reach under the bed. "I hope you like it. I worked so hard – " she murmured, still scouring for the present.

Dick halted her movements, placing a gentle hand under her chin and tilting it up toward his face. He leaned in and kissed her – softly at first, but it quickly escalated into something more passionate as she began responding. Richard removed his hand from under her chin and replaced it on the back of her head, entangling his fingers in her soft hair and pushing her lips harder on his own. Gently, he coaxed her mouth open with his tongue, and, immediately, it began to explore every crevice of the mouth it knew so well. She moaned quietly from deep within her throat and pushed harder, their tongues beginning to dance together in bliss.

The sound brought him back to reality. He broke the kiss slowly, reveling in the feeling of having her so close to him.

They looked into each other's eyes, the both of them recovering from the unexpected, earth shattering kiss. "I won't just like it, baby," he said to her finally. "I'll love it, but not nearly as much as I love you."

She pecked his on the lips once more. "Good," she said, producing a perfectly rectangular box wrapped in colorful, festive paper from under the bed and pushing it onto his lap. He helped her back ont the bed before carefully unwrapping the box, much to her annoyance. "Must you _always_ rip the paper perfectly?"

"With you, always," he said, pulling away the very last bit of paper. He brought his eyes down to the gift and nearly choked.

It was a book. The cover read: _Grayson Family Album_

He looked up at her uncertainly. "Look inside!" she said, a cheeky grin gracing her beautiful face.

At her words, he flipped open the cover. The first page was covered with pictures of the both of them when they were teenagers: walking in the park together, coming out of the movie theater, and even on a date at a restaurant. He smiled at the good memories before turning the page again.

A rose that was pressed between the pages fell out. "From my bouquet," the woman explained as she replaced it between the two pages. Sure enough, this page was dedicated from their wedding, only one year ago. Dick sighed at the memory of first seeing her in her wedding dress and finally being able to say 'I do'.

"Remember our wedding night?" he said, wriggling his eyebrows suggestively.

She pinched his side. "Stop it," she giggled.

Unable to resist, he caught her in another kiss. The sudden action knocked her off balance, and she fell back onto the soft bed. Dick moved his mouth off of hers and began to trail butterfly kisses down her chin and to the exposed flesh of her throat. He could feel her pulse beating quickly and the heat radiating off of her skin as he breathed in her scent.

"Richard," she groaned. "Turn the page."

He paused, halting his advancements. "You sure do know how to spoil the mood, don't you?" he said, sitting back up and placing the album back on his lap. "Now, let's see..." he said, turning the page. At the sight of the photos on the next page, he felt as if he couldn't breathe. "Oh, baby..."

Black and white ultrasound photos were blown up and placed on each side of the page.

He softly ran his fingers along his wife's protruding stomach. "Only four more months to go," he whispered.

"_Only_ four? Speak for yourself," she replied, giggling at his touch.

Dick kissed his wife's belly. "Kori," he said, looking into her beautiful, big green eyes. "When was the last time I told you I loved you."

Koriand'r Grayson pretended to look thoughtful. "Oh, I would say about five minutes ago."

"Too long," replied her husband, closing the book. "I love you, Kori," he said, kissing her on the cheek. "I love you, baby," he said, kissing his beloved's stomach. "And I love you,_ Grayson Family Album_..." he said, kissing the book and sliding it under the bed. Almost as an afterthought, he pulled the older album from under his pillow. "...Both of you," he said, sliding it under the bed alongside the newer book.

With a smile, Koriand'r leaned back on the bed and slid under the covers. "We love you too, Richard," she told him. "I am not too certain about the books, though. Merry Christmas."

Richard Grayson just smiled, and, after giving his pregnant wife one last kiss, pulled himself under the covers alongside her. "Merry Christmas."

Tomorrow was going to be another very long day, and he couldn't wait to spend it with the people he loved.

_**...The End...**_

Number of Words: 1,446

_Posted: December 24, 2005_

_Edited: December 24, 2005_


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